Cardinals 9, Cubs 6: Matt Carpenter hit a tiebreaking solo home run in the fourth inning, one of five St. Louis homers in a wild win over host Chicago.

Carpenter's blast over the right field wall put the Cardinals ahead 7-6, and they held on the rest of the way for their fourth consecutive victory. Matt Holiday, Yadier Molina, Lance Berkman and Allen Craig also homered as St. Louis went deep in each of the first five innings.

The home-run barrage salvaged a third straight win for starter Lance Lynn (13-4), who was largely ineffective over five innings. The St. Louis ace was tagged for six runs on eight hits over five innings after allowing only one run in his previous three starts combined.

Three St. Louis relievers held Chicago to one hit over three innings while Jason Motte recorded the final three outs for his 23rd save.

Anthony Rizzo homered and drove in three runs for the Cubs, who fell for the fifth time in seven games.

Holliday hit a first-inning blast off Travis Wood (4-6) and Molina went deep in the second to tie the score after the Cubs had struck for three runs in the home half of the first. Molina's towering blast cleared the bleachers in left and departed Wrigley Field, giving him 16 homers on the season.

The two-run shot kickstarted a four-run rally by the Cardinals, who went up 6-3 in the third on Berkman's solo shot to left-center field. Chicago rallied to tie in the bottom of the inning on RBI singles from Rizzo and Geovany Soto sandwiched around an Alfonso Soriano run-scoring double to the wall in left.

Wood was charged with eight runs on seven hits over five frames. The veteran left-hander has surrendered 23 runs in 15 2/3 innings over his previous three starts, the last two outings coming against the Cardinals.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Berkman's third-inning blast gave him 1,200 RBIs for his career. ... Lynn was involved in one of the funnier plays on the afternoon, accidentally knocking his hat off his head while in his windup. The hat remained in his glove for a second before falling to the ground as he unleashed a fastball that Cubs hitter Luis Valbuena fouled off. ... Cardinals CF Jon Jay had the catch of the day, sprinting back and leaping at the last moment to corral a Rizzo fly ball in the bottom of the fifth. ... Cubs SS Starlin Castro finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. It was his first three-hit game since June 23.